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In this week’s message, guest preacher Tommy Olsen explores the often-overlooked Ascension of Jesus and what it means for Christ’s continuing reign in the world. Through the opening of Acts, we discover that Jesus’ departure was not an absence, but the beginning of a new chapter in which the Holy Spirit empowers ordinary people to carry the Gospel beyond Jerusalem and bear witness to an alternative kingdom built not on power, wealth, or violence, but on the peace, love, and self-giving way of our risen King.


Bible Verses Referenced

The main text is Acts 1:1–11, particularly the Ascension and Jesus’ commission to His disciples.

  •  Acts 1:1–11 — The principal passage: the risen Jesus prepares His disciples, promises the Holy Spirit, commissions them as witnesses, and ascends into heaven.
  •  Acts 1:8 — “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem…Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” This is especially central to the sermon.
  •  Acts 1:9–11 — Jesus is hidden by a cloud as He ascends, and two men in white tell the disciples that He will return in the same way.  
  •  Luke 24:50–53 — Luke’s first account of Jesus’ Ascension, which concludes his Gospel before he retells the event at the beginning of Acts.  
  •  Luke 1:35 — The angel tells Mary, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you.” The sermon draws a parallel between the Spirit coming upon Mary to bring forth the Messiah and the Spirit coming upon the apostles as the Church begins its mission.  
  •  Psalm 47 — Jesus is described as enthroned above all powers and earthly empires.  
  •  Matthew 6:28–30 / Luke 12:27–28 — Jesus’ teaching about the lilies of the field, used to contrast trust in God with anxiety about material needs and appearances.  
  •  Genesis 11:1–9 — Tower of Babel — Humanity gathers together to centralize its power and build a tower to heaven; God scatters them and confuses their languages.  
  •  Genesis 12:1–3 — Abram and Sarai are sent out with God’s promise, beginning a movement that the sermon traces forward to Jesus and the sending of the Church.  
  •  Acts 2:1–13 — Pentecost — Presented as a striking counterpart to Babel: rather than eliminating different languages, the Holy Spirit enables people from many nations and languages to hear the same Gospel.  
  •  Mark 1:1 — “The beginning of the good news about Jesus Christ.” The sermon discusses good news/gospel (euangelion) in contrast with Roman imperial announcements of a new emperor.  
  •  Luke 4:5–8 — Satan offers Jesus authority over the kingdoms of the world if Jesus will worship him; Jesus responds that God alone is to be worshiped and served.  
  •  Acts 27–28 — Paul’s journey to Rome is discussed at length: the storm and shipwreck, Paul sharing food with those aboard, the snakebite on Malta, and eventually his ministry under house arrest in Rome. 
  •  Jonah 1 — The storm during Paul’s journey to Rome is briefly compared with Jonah’s experience at sea.